Improving My Nine-year Old Daughter's Memory

Instead of a drug I'd look to the everyday environment. Many Fish help with the brain. Also some games help condition to build the memory portion of the brain. The DS game Brainage is one of them. Music lessons help as well. The brain is a muscle so you need to use it and train it and it will perform better But going in one ear out the other is not so much a memory thing it is a child at certain ages will be so focused on something else they do not really hear you. They grow out of it.

:^D Nine years old. I think memory lapses are part of a nine-year-old's job description, aren't they?

If the doctor says she's OK physically, you just do - the usual things. When you tell your daughter something, you have her look at you while you say it. You have her repeat it back to you so you both know the communication. You don't nag, because that worsen's anyone's memory. You do hold her accountable for what she hears.

And you keep on breathing....

Please don't leap to the idea that she needs to swallow a pill, even a vitamin. There is no magic pill for being nine. It is totally typical for kids this age to have things "go in one ear and out the other." It does not mean she has any memory issues; she has typical nine-year-old attention issues (and no, that does not mean she needs some diagnosis of some condition -- unless being nine is a diagnosable condition).

What exactly is the issue? For instance, do you tell her to do what seem like simple tasks like, "Please unpack your school bag and put your books on the desk, now" and she does not do it? That sort of thing? Then you try this:

Ensure she is facing you and looking straight in your face -- do not tell her things or issue orders as she is walking away or as you are in the kitchen and she's in another room.

After you tell her something, immediately have her repeat what you say back to you. "Honey, please let me know you heard me by telling me what I just said." Then after she says it, you say, "Thanks. That's right. Now please go do that and come see me when you are done."

Give her five minutes or whatever it takes and then check on her: "How is X going?" If she says, "Oh, I haven't done that yet," tell her nicely, "I did ask you to do it now. I'll set a timer." Then do just that.

It is not fun for you; it is tedious; but it can help. You also can try rewarding her for doing things promptly (kids her age respond well to rewards). But she needs you to work with her on her behavior and listening skills; vitamin supplements won't make a difference in her skills; only practice does that.

If she has issues remembering things for school, again, typical. Can she remember what she WANTS to remember and what's fun for her, such as an upcoming birthday party she wants to attend, when her favorite show is on, the details of her favorite novel's plot? Then she is mentally fine -- she is just being her age. Talk to her teacher about your child's listening skills at school and whether she needs help there too. But really, the in one ear and out the other problem is going to be with you for a long time.

E., if I didn't know you were a regular here, I'd think this was a first time question....please, please do not go looking for supplements for a 9 year old girl. Just make sure your daughter is well rested, sleeps well, eats well, and is normally hydrated, and gets plenty of fun exercise and activities. Forgetfulness and short attention spans are typical at this age. I can usually get a 3 year old to follow more directions than a 9 year old.

DITTO DITTO Leigh R!!!

Talk to your peditrician. Make sure she is eating a healthy diet and sleeping well. Puberty is around the corner, so hormones may be shifting. I'm not one to run to supplements. And most doctors don't recommend them because many don't work - marketing isn't proven success.

There was a supplement at a vitamin store called Attentive Child. It worked for my son when he was fuzzy brained at about that age. Improving diet can also help. Brain foods like fish are awesome.

You need to be more specific about her "memory" problem.

Other than the usual kid vitamins and minerals, you shouldn't start giving your child supposed memory-boosting supplements. Those things are unregulated, and unnecessary.

If her memory problem is having something go in one ear and out the other, that sounds like a normal kid to me.

Unless she is having major problems at school, I don't think you need to worry. Maybe you can be more specific with your question.

Yes - we work with kids all the time. You won't find it on the store shelves, at least not in a comprehensive and highly absorbable form. There is one that is used in schools and learning centers and clinics world-wide to help really compromised kids, and we use it a lot for general health here in the US as well as to help with focus, memory, brain development etc. It's entirely food based and makes up for the deficiencies in our diets (which even "good eaters" have). It helps with the immune system so many of these kids get sick less often too - replaces all those vitamins at the vitamin shops that carry warning labels because they are drugs/supplements and not food. Happy to talk more if you want info.